Elastic strap.



0. MfiLLBR & 0. PILZ.

ELASTIC STRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28, 1913.

1 ,106,959, Patented Aug. 11, 19M

EHEL EEEEI EEZ mummy THE NORRIS PETERS cc PHOIDJ I HO. WASHINGTON, u c.

CARL Mfl-LLER AND OSCAR PILZ, QF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELASTIC STRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. if, 1914..

Application filed August 28, 1913. Serial No. 787,201.

To all whom "it may concern i Be it known that we, CARL citizen of the United States, and OSCAR 'PILZ,

subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residents of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Elastic Straps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to elastic straps and particularly to elastic straps for use in suspenders or braces, garters, etc, and its object is to provide a strip containing a light and durable elastic element, which may be comparatively weak and correspondingly light, while possessing at the same time sulficient stiffness to perform its office by reason of dividing the strain to which it is subjected with a flexible and preferably inelastic strip of fabric or the like, which strip also covers and protects the elastic element.

For the purpose of illustration, the description will be addressed to an embodiment of the invention in suspenders, it being understood,however, that it is by no means limited to such specific use but is adapted to a great variety of situations where elastic members are employed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention applied to a pair of suspenders,-Figure 1 is a side View, partly in longitudinal section, of an elastic strap connected to the front end of one of the shoul der straps of a pair of suspenders; Fig. 2 is a front view of the adjusting buckle or clasp of one of the shoulder straps; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the elastic element used in said suspenders; Fig. 4: is a front view of one of the pulley fittings, presently to be described; and Fig. 5 is a side view of the elastic strap as used at the rear of the suspenders.

Referring to the drawings, A, A represent the shoulder straps of a pair of suspenders connected at the rear in the usual manner and adjustable in length at their front ends as usual by the buckles a, by means of which the loops at the ends of the shoulder straps may be varied in length.

Connected to the rear end of the shoulder straps where they join at the back, and to the front end of each shoulder strap, are the composite elastic straps which constitute the principal subject matter of the present invention. Said elastic straps comprise each an elastic element, herein shown as a series of light wire coil springs B, B, secured at their ends to two bars C, C. The upper loar C is a single punching made from a sin gle sheet of metal punched or struck up into the form shown to provide a series of hollow, well-like hubs or socket members 6, 7), into which the ends of the springs B are pressed. The punching is also provided with two slots for the reception of the fabric strips, presently to be described. The lower bar C is similar in construction except that only a single slot is provided for the reception of the fabric strip. Associated with the elastic element thus formed is a flexible strip of fabric or other suitable material D, which extends from the lower of the two slots in the plate C alongside'the elastic element and beyond the end thereof, and is thence folded back upon itself to form a big-ht (Z; thence the strip passes through the slot in the plate or bar C in the form of a loop cl, thence it is folded back upon itself to form another bight (Z2, and thence passes along the opposite side of the elastic element as shown at D and joins the end D of the strip. There is thus formed a long loop of flexible material that passes at one end through the lower of the two slots in the plate C and extends downwardly on oppo- Jsite sides of the elastic element beyond the .end thereof. The lower end of the loop is folded within itself and passes through the slot in the plate C.

This folding of the loop thus forms the two depending bights d, (Z As used at the free or front ends of the shoulder straps, the returning strip D passes directly through the lower slot of the bar C, joining the opposite end of the same stra 3 as shown in Fi 1. This leaves the upper slot of the bar C free for the adjusting loop of the front end of shoulder strap A. As used at the rear of the suspenders, the strip D is directly secured to the rear ends of the shoulder straps at their junction and thence passes forward and backward through the two slots in the bar C, the return end of the strip, D, being carried above the bar G where it is fastened to the fabric of the strip D.

E is a pulley-fitting provided with two rollers or pulleys e and 0 one of which works in the bight (Z and the other of which works in the bight (Z Said pulleys are preferably mounted one directly above the other so that both will lie substantially in the plane of the coil springs B when the device is under tension, the whole thus producing a fiat elastic strap free from bunches which would interfere with the clothing of the wearer. It will also be noticed that the fabric strips D, D wholly cover the metal lower ends of the fittings E are provided with hooks e for engaging the usual sup.-

porting cords or other contrivances for attachment to the garment.

From the foregolng descriptlon the operation of the device will be clear. When the pulley-fitting E is pulled downward, the rollers or the pulleys e, 6 working in the bights (Z, d will elongate said bights and shorten the loop al, thereby stretching the a springs B. lVorking pulley fashion in this manner, the springs B may be made much lighter and weaker, while affording the same elasticity, than would be possible if the tension were applied directly to the springs.

We claim: i

1. Acomposite elastic strap comprising an endless loop of flexible material, a resilient element within said loop secured to or adj acent one end of said loop, the opposite end of the loop being folded within itself, and connected to the other end of said elastic element forming thereby two depending bights, and a fitting carrying two pulleys each of which engages one of saidbights.

2. A composite elastic strap comprising an elongated endless loop of flexible material fixed at one of its extremities, a resilient element including a slotted plate on each end within said loop and secured by one of said slotted plates to or adjacent the fixed ex-, v p 1 this twenty-fifth day of August, 1913.

tremity of said loop, the opposite end of said loop being folded within itself and passed through the slot in the other plate forming thereby two depending bights, and

i a fitting carrying two pulleys each of which engages one of said bights.

3. A composite elastic strap comprising a Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the a Commissioner of Patents,

length of flexible material folded into an elongated endless loop fixed at one of its extremities, a thin resilient element having a slotted plate at each end within and covered by said loop of flexible material and secured by one of its plates to or adjacent the fixed extremity of said loop, the oppositeend of the loop being folded within itself and passed freely through the slot in the other I plate, the portions of the loop depending resilient element, then downwardly again and upwardly over the opposite side of said? 1 resilient element toythe beginning, the two ends of the strip being connected together,

the depending folds of the loop forming two free bights, and a fitting carrying two pulleys each of which engages one of said bights.

5. A composite elastic strap, comprising an elastic element, a flexiblestrip in the form of an endless loop connected to one end of forming a covering for said element, said looped strip projectlng beyond said element and there folded within itself and connected to the other end of the elasticelement thereby forming twodepending bights, and I a fitting provided with two pulleyseach engaging one of said bights.

vSigned by us at Boston,"Massachusetts,

. CARL MULLER. OSCAR PILZ.

WVitnesses:

J AMES 0. FUNNELL, VALENTINA VALENTI.

Washington, D. G. V s

i said elastic element and extending in front of andbehind the same and close thereto 

